Seeds Business Improvement Lead

• Cultivate a continuous improvement culture by leading improvement initiatives and building improvement capabilities to deliver value to our customers in the most productive and Agile way; safe, high quality, timely and cost effective
• Influence the Syngenta culture and ways of working to a point where problems are easily identified, quickly resolved and prevented from reoccurring in the future
• Serve as a core member on the Syngenta Seeds Business Improvement Team
• Support key stakeholders across the end to end Seeds business to assess the flow of value from suppliers to customers and identify targeted improvement opportunities
• Lead improvement initiatives working with key stakeholders to shape, manage, implement and sustain improvements
• Support key stakeholders to track their improvement initiatives to achieve their productivity targets.
• Build improvement capability, focused on delivering value to our customers in the most productive way, by teaching, coaching, mentoring and supporting employees and teams to develop their business improvement skills and enable them to use improvement techniques on their own.
• Lead the use of Lean Six Sigma and other relevant improvement methodologies, techniques and principles and support the development of an improvement focused culture within key stakeholder groups
• Provide input and influence the Seeds business Lean Six Sigma improvement approach to build a strong culture of data driven decision making.
• Promote the valuation of benefits through favorable KPI movement and the understanding of related financial impacts.
• Support an active learning environment with the aim of enhancing capabilities and ways of working on the core Business Improvement team

Syngenta Seeds is one of the world’s largest developers and producers of seed for farmers, commercial growers, retailers and small seed companies. Syngenta seeds improve the quality and yields of crops. High-quality seeds ensure better and more productive crops, which is why farmers invest in them. Advanced seeds help mitigate risks such as disease and drought and allow farmers to grow food using less land, less water and fewer inputs. 

Syngenta Seeds brings farmers more vigorous, stronger, resistant plants, including innovative hybrid varieties and biotech crops that can thrive even in challenging growing conditions.

Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States.

• Good end-to-end supply chain knowledge (in Agri-business or closely related industry is an advantage)
• Deep expertise within a business function preferred e.g. Commercial, Production and Supply, Research and Development or business support Functions (Finance, HR, IT, etc.)
• Training / certification and deep experience in the use of one or more improvement methodology (Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, Design Thinking, TPM, BPM, etc.)
• Application of project management methodologies
• Prioritizing, planning and monitoring Improvement initatives in order to meet timelines
• Influencing others through change with no direct line management accountability
• Strong data-based problem solving and decision making including knowledge of statistical software e.g Minitab, JMP etc.
• Konwledge of change management methodologies
• Ability to work with employees at different levels of the organization.
• Facilitation skills to design and run improvement workshops and training sessions
• Capability to develop, teach, coaching and /or mentor leaders and employees across all levels of the organizations on improvement methods, tools and new
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• University bachelor degree or equivalent
• 3-5 years of professional experience using improvement methods.E.g. Lean, Six sigma, Agile etc.
• Lean Six sigma Black Belt or equivalent experience preferred e.g Agile coach, Kaizen Practitioner
• Strong influencing, interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Excellent problem solving abilities and mindset
• Innovative thinker and enthusiast for new digital solutions to existing problems and opportunities
• Demonstrated teaching and coaching skills
• Self starter with the ability to network and build strong connections across the Seeds organization,
• Excellent presentation and stakeholder management skills
• Proficient user of Microsoft Suite Office (Powerpoint, Excel, Teams, Whiteboard etc.)
• Knowledge of, or openness to new based digital productivity apps is a plus. (Zoom, Skype, Mural etc.)

In Syngenta we recognize that diversity and inclusion is important to our business.  We embrace the unique perspective and capabilities of our employees, which will help us continue to drive innovation and achieve our business goals. Our culture enables us to create an environment of involvement, respect and connection with the communities where we operate - benefitting individual employees and the company.